She Lives In A Daydream, I Don't Belong
Okay. Okay you can do this. You are a strong smart man, you have a PHD from Harvard for god sake. Stop being a little bitch baby and make a move. Kebo tells himself as he removes himself from the current spot he's slumming in. He had a plan here, he doesn't just go strolling along farmer's markets in the middle of the day for nothing. He'd run out of peaches (his one and only weakness, his mother may she rest in peace, used to stuff his face with them.)
But that seems thrown out the window now. She has blonde hair curled down her back, the sunlight framing her face in a way Kebo has never seen before. He just turned around and there she was like something out of a dream, an angel too far away from the clouds. She doesn't belong here and he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be gawking at her from across the way. He can't help himself, she's so beautiful.
From the way she's curved around one of the fruit stands he can tell that her eyes are blue, her cheeks are flushed as she throws her head back and laughs. A strawberry is clutched lightly in her small hands, the skirt she's wearing twirls around with the morning breeze. Kebo can't take his eyes off her. It's like she's put some spell on him and he's lost every one of his brain cells, he's frozen on the spot just staring at the woman like an idiot.
The people around him have long faded away in the background, it's just him probably looking like some kind of creep as he keeps his eyes on this stranger. Make a move. Go. Just walk over there and say hello, be smooth. Smooth like Marcus (his older brother who he hasn't spoken to in three years) and compliment her skirt. Or her smile. That always seemed to work. The pep talk he's trying to give himself does not work.
Someone bumps into his shoulder and Kebo turns to glare at them for half a second, when he turns back around the woman is gone. Knowing he has no right to feel it and curses himself for it, a stab of disappointment enters him. But it does not last for long. There's a flash of blonde and a denim jacket then all of a sudden there she is. Right in front of him. A few freckles dust the tip of her nose, she's very small.
So tiny she barely brushes against his shoulder. ''Um''. Real smooth he forgets how to make words. ''Can I help you with something?'' She asks, a slight southern accent that he's immediately annoyed with. Perhaps he shouldn't of put her on such a high pedestal already. ''I um, I don't know? I''- ''Because the staring is weird you''- ''You're pretty''. Oh god. Oh god he is blowing this he is ninteen and stupid and it's not like he's never talked to a woman before.
''Excuse me?'' Hands on her hips she doesn't blush like most girls would when he says that. ''You have, nice face''. Oh lord what the hell is he doing? HIs hand moves of it's own accord and gestures to her cheeks, no longer flushing with laughter but, what is that expression? It seems the anger has faded replaced with, is that sympathy? Why would she be looking at him like that? He is not a sob story or some charity case.
''Oh. Oh my goodness I am so sorry, you cupcake of course, I, I apologize. It's fine honey, you can stare at me all you want sweetie''. A hand on his arm, her tone has this softness to it, this fondness as if she's speaking to a small child. If Kebo had a friend or his brother with him, they'd be cracking up right now. It takes him a second to understand her shift in attitude, why she's looking at him with kindness in her eyes when she wanted to rip his head off a second ago.
Kebo regains his chill after a beat, finally realizing that she isn't some goddess sent down to torture him, but a human who thinks he is not capable of taking care of himself. ''I have a PHD from Harvard. I'm smart''. Wow. That just came right out like word vomit. The woman looks at him in confusion, the hand on his arm drops. ''I was looking at you because you're pretty not because I'm''-
Understanding quickly takes over and the woman takes a step back, hand over her mouth. ''Oh. Oh gosh I am so sorry. I didn't, I just I saw you and you were just staring at me. I just assumed when you started talking. I'm so sorry''. Yeah he has a way with words just apparently not with her. Normally he's all calm and collected, really has no problem with the ladies. It's the accent (he lived in England until he was fourteen) and the height. Kebo is tall like his father.
She flips her blonde hair over her shoulder and composes her face, flashes him a half smirk and really it does things to him and he's having a hard time concentrating once more. ''You really think I'm pretty?'' She doesn't ask for herself, there's no low self esteem or need of reassurance in the question. Kebo admires that. She's confident he can tell, is only asking perhaps to watch him struggle for air again.
He squares his shoulders and takes a deep breath, ''I do''. A smile takes over her entire face, she has dimples and her eyes crinkle at the edges in a way he finds adorable and it steals all the breath from his lungs. ''You're not so bad I suppose cowboy. Can we start over?'' She sticks out her hand for him to shake and he takes it, her skin is cold but smooth. ''I'm Lauren''. He doesn't know it now of course, but this meeting right here is going to affect the rest of his life.
''I um, I''- ''Come on use your words''. A wink and Kebo is biting the inside of his cheek. ''Kebo. My name is Kebo''. ''Never met anyone named Kebo''. ''Never met anyone named Lauren''. She laughs and neither one has noticed that they have not let go of each other's hands. ''British right?'' ''How could you tell?'' She gives him a wink, ''well you look really out of place''. She's teasing and Kebo finds himself enchanted again.
''But it might have been because of the accent''. ''Let me guess you're from the south?'' ''Born and raised''. ''What the hell are you doing in Boston?'' ''Language!'' ''Seriously? How old are you?'' ''Anyway I just, I neeeded a change in scenery I suppose. Closed my eyes one morning and pointed at a map, finger landed on Boston and here I am''. She's strong, just left her family? Well. He did do the same thing.
''What about you? What brings you to the big city?'' ''Wouldn't really call Boston the big city love''. She giggles and it's like the world stops. He's never heard such a beautiful sound. He'd do anything for that to happen again. ''So it is true, ya'll really do call people love''. ''Ya'll?'' She giggles again at his poor american accent, free hand over her mouth. ''Please ignore my britishness and continue''.
And that is how it all starts.
They stand in the market like that for an hour, still holding hands and talking. To this day Kebo still has no idea how in the hell he managed to get so lucky. There was just something about that day. The universe smiled down on him and wanted him to have some fresh pievce of happiness, the only joy he'd ever feel in his entire life. It only lasted for a year. One beautiful year where they fell in love and rented an apartment in Paris.
Kebo had been in Hydra for a while at that point and well, he took advantage of what they gave him. He never did find out if Lauren knew about Hydra, or if she just took the gifts he gave her, the touring around the world without question. They do say that ignorance is bliss. Kebo and Lauren were glued to each other, there was never one without the other. They lived a life of luxury not from the parties or the alcohol or the fancy lush clothes or apartments Hydra provided.
But because they were together. They found that rare connection people spend their whole lives looking for. A soulmate. Lauren would tease him constantly for that word, but she too believed it. Her parents would tell her she was dumb and nothing would ever last, that Kebo wasn't good for her and she needed to come back home. On those days Kebo would hold her while she cried in bed, told him that she loved him and her parents were wrong.
He felt guilty he never asked her to choose, but it was always him at the end of the day. Now their relationship wasn't always easy, they fought here and there like any other couple would do. However they didn't get enough time to really explore every single side of their relationship, the experience that comes with years of loving and being together. Now Kebo wishes more than anything that they could have, that they had that chance.
But they didn't. And their year of love came crashing down on a Thursday mornings. (Kebo hates every single Thursday even now all these years later, he drinks just a bit more that usual.) Kebo wakes to the feel of warm skin and soft hair brushing against his shoulder, the smell of strawberries heavy in the air. Lauren's shampoo, it's the only kind she'll ever use. There's a slight chill in the air and he knows what's happening.
With a glance to the bed side table to confirm it, the water inside the glass, is frozen solid. The cup itself cool and ice to the touch. Meaning Lauren is having a nightmare. The real reason she left her home and went to Boston is because she was Gifted (a term he learned from Hydra.) Meaning a person can do things others cannot, in Lauren's case she can freeze things. Whatever she wants, doesn't even have to touch it.
When she first told him she nearly ran away because she thought he'd see her as a monster, a freak, like her family did. But that was not the case. Instead he took her in his arms, cracked a joke about her new name being 'Ice Queen' and held her close. (And yes years later when the movie Frozen came out he got drunk and went into a Walmart, destroyed every DVD copy and was arrested. It wasn't a pretty day.)
''Lauren, hey cupcake it's okay it was just a dream. Wake up love''. He shakes her shoulder, brushes his fingers across the birth mark there. Blue eyes flash open and the heavy breathing stops, she relaxes in his embrace after a second. He's looking at her with warm eyes and even if she wanted to, Lauren couldn't ever turn away from that expression. She wants to spend the rest of her life waking up like this, with him.
Being only twenty and from a small town she basically has no experience in the love department, but with Kebo like so many other things it's as easy as breathing. Loving him comes naturally, like a second skin like something she's been doing all her life. She never wants to leave. ''I was dreaming?'' He brushes the hair away from her face and kisses her brow. ''Yes my little Inhuman you were. But you're alright, I'm here you're safe''.
She wrinkles her nose at the new nickname before elbowing him in the ribs and rising from the sheets. ''You know I vote naked Thursdays should be a thing''. She tells him, earning a laugh and a small pinch on her hip. ''Do you now?'' ''I do. Just let it hang loose''. ''Do not ever say that about my parts ever again Lauren. God. You just want me for my body''. She leans over him, her hair creating a light curtain around their faces.
''You have a nice brain too''. ''A nice brain? What kind of compliment is that? Jesus. We need to work on your flirting skills my dear''. ''Oh I think my skills are pretty perfect''. ''Says who? Are you flirting with other men besides me? Do I need to puff out my chest and punch someone? Because I will I'll do it''. Kebo moves like he is about to get up but Lauren pins him back down with her thighs and a giggle that never fails to make him weak in the knees.
''I'm having an affair obviously, his name is Thomas and we're having three kids, I'm planning on leaving you in the morning''. He tickles her side and flips them over, kisses her forehead. ''Oh my love there isn't a place you could go where I wouldn't find you''. ''Stalker''. ''You love me''. ''I guess. Only because you feed me and call me love''. He smiles and swears he'll be happy the rest of his days as long as she's next to him.
An hour later he's putting on pants headed out to grab fresh coffee, Lauren has thrown on her favorite floral robe and is sitting on the ledge by the window, looking out into the city. Kebo puts on his leather jacket that she bought for him last month, it's worn and black already and he loves it. He loves her. Walks up to her and kisses the back of her head. ''I'll be back''. '''Two sugars and''- ''I know how you like it love''.
She grabs his hand and places it over her heart, she does this many a times and it always causes him to melt. ''Yes you do''. Her voice is soft and she leans up to kiss him, hand on the back of his neck. ''Hurry back I'm going to sit here and die without you''. Lauren tells him on his way out the door and Kebo shakes his head. ''Always so dramatic''. ''I learned from you''. She's not wrong. It was just a normal Thursday morning. Until it wasn't.
He knows something is wrong the minute he turns the corner back to their apartment, Hydra didn't half ass train him. There's an unmarked vehicle across the street and Kebo takes off in a sprint. Doesn't care if it draws attention, the coffee cups are still hot in his hands. ''Lauren? Lauren?'' He pushes open the front door and drops the paper cups full of caffeine onto the floor. The apartment is a mess.
Furniture is strewn about, dishes are broken, the mattress has been over turned she sheets and pillows scattered. The window Lauren was looking out of has been broken, there's a small drop of blood by his boot. She's gone. Someone took her and it wasn't Hydra.
It was just a regular Thursday morning.